What happens to the response until extinction occurs in Frustration Theory when animals receive continuous rewards?

In Frustration Theory, continuous rewards typically maintain a high level of response consistency in the presence of reinforcement. This creates a strong expectation in the animal that the reward will continue. However, when that reward suddenly stops, frustration can occur due to the pet's inability to achieve its expected outcome.

When animals are rewarded continuously, they develop a strong association with the response they perform to gain that reward. If the reward is completely withdrawn, instead of showing a gradual decrease in response, the urgent need to respond may lead to an increase in attempts initially. But over time, because the expected rewards are absent, frustration sets in, leading to a rapid suppression of the response as the animal learns that further attempts are futile. This suppression represents the animal’s shift from actively seeking the reward to a state of disappointment and inaction, highlighting the significant impact of reward expectations and frustration on behavior.

This understanding aligns with Frustration Theory, which posits that the loss of reinforcement leads to frustration, ultimately resulting in the suppression of a previously reinforced behavior.